TECHNICAL GUIDANCE NOTES

FOR FIRE AND BUILDING SAFETY REMEDIATION IN BANGLADESH

Accord-BGMEA-Government of Bangladesh Technical Sub-Committee Agreed

Equivalence Solution to Remediation

7 April 2020

INTRODUCTION
On 8 May 2019, the Accord and the BGMEA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
agreeing to transition the work of the Accord to a to-be-established national organisation, the RMG
Sustainability Council. In the MoU it was also agreed that the Accord and BGMEA would establish a
Technical Sub-Committee consisting of technical representatives of the Accord, BGMEA and BUET.

In September 2019, the Technical Sub-Committee (TSC) was established and initially tasked to
generate and recommend additional solutions that will enable suppliers to complete remediation of
safety items of the their Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) under the Accord program. The TSC has since
met on four occasions and reached agreement on seven alternative equivalency solutions to
remediation.

This communication to Accord signatories and Accord covered factories provides an overview of the
agreed alternative solutions to Accord CAP implemention, providing Technical Guidance Notes
(TGNs) for each of these solutions.

This document is meant to communicate a decision of the Accord/BGMEA Technical Sub Committee
at an “Executive Summary” level only. Specific technical requirements will be developed by the
committee and will be communicated at that time.

OVERVIEW OF TECHNICAL GUIDANCE NOTES

Fire Safety
1. Negative Suction Conditions
2. Fire Protection Water Supply Duration
3. Acceptable Fire Pumps and other Equipment
4. Suction Piping Arrangement
5. Temporal Code 3 Fire Alarm Signals
Structural Safety
6. Structural Strength Reduction Factors
7. Unprotected Steel Structures

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FIRE SAFETY

1. Technical Guidance Note: Negative Suction Conditions

Purpose: This Technical Guidance Note was developed by the Accord/BGMEA Technical Sub
Committee in order to provide an equivalency to the Accord accepted solutions for positive suction
water supply for fire protection systems.

Regulatory Requirement: Accord Standard Section 5.5.1, NFPA 20: 4.13.3, and Accord Guidance
document which listed three acceptable solutions:
1. Where the top of the reservoir is accessible, and it has the required structural strength, a
listed vertical turbine fire pump may be installed.
2. Where there is an existing below ground reservoir, excavate a pit beside the reservoir such
that a horizontal fire pump can be installed beside the reservoir at its lowest level.
3. The installation of an appropriately located water reservoir to facilitate a listed horizontal fire
pump to be installed in a positive suction arrangement adjacent to the reservoir.

Alternative Solution: In addition to the above three accepted solutions, a fourth acceptable
solution is added.
4. Install a header tank or break tank in a positive suction arrangement sized to supply the
sprinkler system demand plus the inside hose stream allowance for a period not less than 20
minutes. The remaining required water supply may be in an accepted negative suction
arrangement.

Methodology: All fire protection system designs including water supply arrangement and water
supply duration are required to be accepted prior to installation.

2. Technical Guidance Note: Fire Protection Water Supply Duration

Purpose: This Technical Guidance Note was developed by the Accord/BGMEA Technical Sub
Committee in order to provide an equivalency to the Accord accepted solutions for acceptable sizing of
water supply tanks for fire protection.

Regulatory Requirement: BNBC requires 75 minutes of water supply based on sprinkler and
standpipe demand. NFPA 13 requires between 60 – 90 minutes of water supply based on sprinkler
and inside hose stream demand.

Alternative Solution: Fire protection water supply tank sizing must provide a minimum of 60
minutes of combined sprinkler system and inside hose stream demand.

3. Technical Guidance Note: Acceptable Fire Pumps and other Equipment

Purpose: This Technical Guidance Note was developed by the Accord/BGMEA Technical Sub
Committee in order to provide an equivalency to the Accord accepted solutions for acceptable fire
pumps and other fire protection equipment.

Regulatory Requirement: Accord Standard 5.5.1 requires all new installations to comply with
requirements of NFPA 20 which requires that fire pumps must be tested to UL 448 or FM 1311
standards and listed by a third party certification agency. The Accord also published a technical
document on certification marks.

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Alternative Solution: In addition to UL448 and FM 1311, Class 1 fire pumps (excluding drivers,
controllers and power supplies) meeting ISO 5199 and tested in accordance with ISO 5198 or ISO
9906 are acceptable.

Further clarification is provided regarding the following fire protection products.

Sprinkler and standpipe components, meeting the requirements of ISO 6182, Parts 1-14 or BS EN
12259 Parts 1-5 are acceptable.

Fire Detection and Alarm system components tested in accordance with ISO 7240 Parts 1-28, or BS
EN 54 Parts 1-28 are acceptable.

Methodology: Tests must be performed by independent testing laboratories accredited in

accordance with ISO 17025.

Self-certification in accordance with EN as evidenced by CE mark, is not acceptable in lieu of

verification by an accredited independent testing lab.

All fire protection components must be compatible and must be installed accordance with the
required installation standards.

4. Technical Guidance Note: Suction Piping Arrangement

Purpose: This Technical Guidance Note was developed by the Accord/BGMEA Technical Sub
Committee in order to provide an equivalency to the Accord accepted solutions for the design of
suction piping for fire pumps.

Regulatory Requirement: NFPA 20 requires a minimum straight run length of 10 X the diameter
of the suction pipe (10D) at the intake to a fire pump.

Alternative Solution: In conditions of static (non-pressurized) intake suction arrangements, and

where space is limited, a minimum of 2D is acceptable.

Methodology: All fire protection designs must be accepted prior to installation.

5. Technical Guidance Note: Temporal Code 3 Fire Alarm Signals

Purpose: This Technical Guidance Note was developed by the Accord/BGMEA Technical Sub
Committee in order to provide an equivalency to the Accord accepted solutions for acceptable fire
alarm signals.

Regulatory Requirement: NFPA 72 Section 18.4 requires a distinctive fire alarm evacuation
signal. ANSI S3.41 Temporal Code 3 is accepted as meeting that requirement.

Alternative Solution:
1. New and replacement systems after November 2019 shall incorporate a Temporal Code 3.
2. Existing systems installed prior to November 2019 shall be accepted without Temporal Code
provided the following conditions are met or provided:
i. Signal pattern is clearly distinctive (ANSI S3.41 Temporal Code 3 or Similar Equivalent Signal
which is not used for any other purpose).

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 ii. Audible signals generated are consistent throughout the building.
iii. Audible sound pressure levels are consistent with the requirements of NFPA 72 Section 18.4.4
for public-mode signalling.
iv. Private-mode notification may be accepted on a case-by-case basis when audibility may not be
met due to high-ambient noise levels. Designers are responsible for identifying locations on
plans.
v. Where used, Visual signals provided to meet private-mode signalling shall be in accordance
with the requirements of NFPA 72 Section 18.6.
vi. Obsolete equipment/ appliances must be removed and not repurposed for any other use.

STRUCTURAL SAFETY

6. Technical Guidance Note: Structural Strength Reduction Factors

Purpose: This Technical Guidance Note was developed by the Accord/BGMEA Technical Sub
Committee in order to provide an equivalency to the Accord accepted solutions for structural strength
reduction factors in existing buildings.

Regulatory Requirement: BNBC 2006 uses a strength reduction factor of .7.

Alternative Solution: For existing buildings, designers may use ACI 318 in lieu of BNBC 2006
requirements.

Methodology: Design proposals for remediation of existing buildings which have not already been
accepted will be allowed to use ACI 318 criteria in the proposal.

7. Technical Guidance Note: Unprotected Steel Structures

Purpose: This Technical Guidance Note was developed by the Accord/BGMEA Technical Sub
Committee in order to provide an equivalency to the Accord accepted solutions for acceptable
unprotected steel structures.

Regulatory Requirement: The Accord standard requires all buildings built after 2013 to meet the
requirements of BNBC 2006. BNBC 2006 does not permit unprotected steel structure factory
buildings. The Accord Standard 3.5.3.1permits unprotected steel structures in existing buildings (built
prior to 2014) meeting certain criteria with the provision of sprinkler protection.

Alternative Solution:
Sprinkler protection as required by Accord Standard 3.5.3.1 is not required for existing buildings
meeting the following requirements.

a. Unprotected steel frame with 1-hour column protection and floor slab deck with 30-minute
fire resistance rating subject to Eurocode natural fire curves or ISO 834 fire.
b. Building height not more than 3-stories (ground plus 2, maximum building height, 11 m).
c. Building divided into fire compartments of not more than 2,000-m² in area by 1-hour rated
fire resistant walls.
d. Vertical shafts connecting more than 2 stories require 2-hour fire rated construction.

Methodology: All designs must be reviewed and accepted to ensure that the minimum fire
resistance ratings are met.

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